?Talape is ready to become the third Filipino OPBF champion?
By Alex P. Vidal
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 16 Jun 2008
RP superbantamweight champion Jun Talape is aiming to become the third Filipino Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) champion when he tries to grab the OPBF superbantamweight crown held by by Wethya Sakmuangklaeng of Thailand in Bangkok in July.
?We are hoping that by next month, the Philippines will have its third OPBF champion,? declared Talape?s manager Jay R. San Pedro who owns the Tiger City Boxing Gym in Mandaluyong City.
The two other OPBF crownholders are lightweight Randy Suico and Japan-based bantamweight Rolly Matsushita Lunas, both Cebuano-speaking.
San Pedro admits that his ward ?s OPBF appointment ?is not a walk in the park? even if he expressed optimism that Talape could score a major upset against the durable Thai champion who has flattened 44 of his 74 victims against four losses.
?Puspusan ang training ni Jun dahil pangarap nia talaga ang e uwi ang korona sa OPBF,? added San Pedro who was in Talape?s corner when the 22-year-old boxer drew with Yuya Miyagi in his April 6 10-round non-title fight in Shizuoka, Japan.
Talape (17-5, 7 KO), a southpaw, regained the No. 1 rating in the OPBF owing to his back-to-back unanimous decisions wins over Jake Verano and Roel Laguna in two defenses of his national crown before holding Miyagi to a controversial draw.
Sakmuangklaeng will be making his sixth defense of the crown he won by TKO in the third round over Masakazu Sugawara in Nagoya, Japan on June 26, 2005.
The 31-year-old former Muai Thai sensation from Krasang, Buriram, Thailand defended the 122 lbs title by unanimous decision over Kyohei Tamakoshi in Kobe, Japan in his last title defense on June 3, 2007.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Alex P. Vidal.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
“Oceanside Prize Fights” WEIGHTS from Revere, MA
Sat, 16 Aug 2025Kenneth “Lover Boy” Llover and Luis “Nica” Concepcion Face Off, Ready for Exciting Action Sunday at Winford Resort Manila
By Carlos Costa, Sat, 16 Aug 2025'BATA' REYES YALIN 10-BALL OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE HELD IN MANDALUYONG
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 16 Aug 2025KENNETH LLOVER AND LUIS CONCEPCION PROMISE FIREWORKS AS THEY GO FACE TO FACE FOR THE FIRST TIME
Fri, 15 Aug 2025Khan, De Barbo, Ognayon, Cha, Dologuin, Dawrani in Action in Brico Santig’s Highland Show in Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 15 Aug 2025Capiz's veteran woodpushers join the Touchmove rapid chess
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 15 Aug 2025Oleksandr Usyk perfect model for Boxing phenom Marco Romero
Fri, 15 Aug 2025Dante “The Inferno” Kirkman Set to Make Ring Return September 6 at “Thunder Showdown III”
Fri, 15 Aug 2025‘PLATINUM’ MIKE PERRY VS. JEREMY STEPHENS HEADLINES GROUND BREAKING BKFC EVENT SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4 AT PRUDENTIAL CENTER IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY
Fri, 15 Aug 2025Traya now in Thailand for 'Battle of Bangkok' on Aug. 30
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 14 Aug 2025Nine National Masters join the Touchmove event
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 14 Aug 2025What's Three Pounds? The Collazo-Vayson Affair (Part II)
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Thu, 14 Aug 2025Don King Productions Announces October 4th Showdown Featuring No. 1 WBA Heavyweight Contender Michael Hunter Facing World Champion Kubrat Pulev
Thu, 14 Aug 2025Jayson Vayson Ready to Battle Oscar Collazo for WBO/WBA World Titles (Analysis)
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 14 Aug 2025Arab American boxing pride to be on display August 31st in Detroit
Thu, 14 Aug 2025